Paper sack holder



June 1, 1965 w. v. MEUER PAPER SACK HOLDER Filed Jan. s, 1964 INVENTOR. 1 9- 4 wil/iam V. Meuer ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,186,667 PAPER SACK HOLDER William V. Mener, 153 W. Oak, Fort Collins, Colo.

Filed Jan. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 336,530

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-97) This invention relates to sack holders and more particularly to a holder for paper sacks, supporting the sack upright in an open position for depositing refuse and the like in the sack.

Common practice among many housewives has been to use a paper sack for refuse, the `sack being held .open by its own stitness. Usually the sack is used to line a --waste basket or other refuse container. The obvious reason for this use is for cleanliness of the receptacle. For the refuse, a paper sack admirably serves t-he purpose since it may be disposed of with its load of trash. The paper sacks used for such a purpose, however, are generfally those received from stores and particularly grocery stores -to transport a number of small items. These sacks have been folded so that there are essentially permanent crease lines in the sack. These creases tend to pull the sack back into folded position. Therefore, some difculty is found in holding the sack open -for receiving the refuse.

A number of sack holders have been proposed in the prior art, but these usually involve some sort of a clamp means for clamping onto sides of the sack at the opening, thus holding the sack open. With such devices it is not always easy for one person to hold the sack and move the clamps into position on or olic the sack. Additionally, variances in the size of the sacks fail to achieve the desired purpose of having the sack rest on the sack holder so that the bottom of the sack does not break open due to the weight of the refuse when the Sack is held by the clamps above the bottom of the holder.

According to the present invention, I have provided a simple sack holder which holds a sack upright and in full open position without clamps and from which a sack is easily removed when desired. The device provides a simple latch which is easily attached to paper sacks, securely holds the sack open without gripping the paper, and is easily removed from full or partially full sacks mounted on the device.

Included among the objects and `advantages of the present invention is a simple paper sack support which is provided with an easily used latch for holding the bag open and which is easily detached from a partially or full sack mounted on the device.' The holder supports the sack restingr on its :bottom With the latch holding the bag open without gripping its sides. The sack holder of the invention is provided with automatic release means when the paper sack is to be removed from the holder. Additionally, the device provides simple latch means which does not clamp tightly on the bag but which supports the sack in open position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the invention illustrating the sack holder of the invention in sack holding position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the sack holder of the invention, Without a sack therein;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional detailed view of the sack holder device according to the invention taken along section line 3 3; and

FIG. 4 is yan enlarged elevational View, in partial section, of the base portion of the sack holder.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the drawings, and the device includes a -base having a central depression or recessed area 12 covering a substantial por- "ice tion of the top portion of the base. A ledge 15 extends around the recessed portion 12. A bore or hole 17 is provided at each corner of the base through the ledge l5. One U-shaped member 1.4 is secured by its legs 16 and 18 in each set of the holes 17 adjacent each end of the base. Both U-shaped members extend upright from the top of the base to a joining portion Ztl which joins the legs together forming the U shape. The U-shaped members are identical, and in a preferred form are made flexible so that they may be moved inwardly and outwardly in relation to an upright position, but sufficiently resilient to resume their general upright position .after bending.

At the top 29 of the U-shaped member is a holder or latch arrangement, shown in detail in FIG. 3. This latch includes a shaft 26 reciprocably mounted in the bore 2l through the member 20. An upper knob or bulbous member Sil and a lower bulb 32 prevent the removal of the shaft from the bore. A spring 28 mounted between the lower bulb 32 and the member 24) biases the latch in down position.

In a preferred form all the parts of the sack holder are made of a plastic which is washable and rustproof. For convenience, the spring 28 may be made of metal, and in some instances may be made of pla-Stic. One highly useful plastic is a polyethylene which is easily formed and molded into the U-shaped members and base.

The device is used by placing a sack, in full or partially open position, standing upright, in the recess 12 with the mouth or open part of the sack in upward position. The top ball on one latch is pulled up so that the lowermost ball is tight against the spring compressed against the member Z0. The bag side is then moved between the leg portions and the latch released so that the lower ball holds the bag securely by a three-point holding, ie., between the legs and the lower ball. The same procedure is followed for holding the 4opposite side so that the bag is held open. By having the two legs of each U-shaped member wide enough apart at the top, a secure grip is obtained on the paper sack to securely hold it open .and prevent it from closing when anything is put into the bag. The bag rests on the base and, .by dimensioning the holder, various types of bags may be used with the device. v

When it is desired to release the bag, both upper orbs 3) are grabbed, pulled up and out and, since the legs are iiexible and resilient, they will move outwardly away from the sack. The latches may then be released and the legs permitted to return to normal position with the latch member on the outside of the bag. The 4bag may then be removed from the holder by lifting.

While the device has been described with reference to a particular illustration, there is no intent to limit the lspirit or scope of the invention to the precise details so set forth except insofar as dened in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A paper sack holder comprising a base, a pair of U-shaped uprights each secured by their legs to and eX- tending upwardly from said base at spaced apart positions and each adjacent an edge of said base, said U-shaped members being resilient so as to be capable of being spread apart a short distance and return to normal upright position, an elongated pin reciprocably mounted through the top of eachsaid upright extending downwardly between said legs and arranged in a generally vertical position, a bulbous member mounted on each end of each said pin to limit movement thereof but permit extending a substantial distance below the top of said U-shaped upright, and a spring mounted on each said pin between said U-shaped uprights and 4the lower bulbous member for biasing said pin in downwardly directed position.

2. A paper sack holder comprising a quadrangular en base, a pair of U-shaped uprights each secured by their legs to and extending upwardly from the corners-of said base and each adjacent an edge thereof, said U-shaped members being resilient so as to be capable of being spread apart a short distance and return to normal upright position", an elongated pin recprocably mounted at the ytop of each said upright and arranged in a generally vertical position, a bulbo'us member mounted on each'end of ea'chisaidy pin to limit movement thereof but permit extending a substantial distance below the top of said U-sliapd upright, and a yspring mounted on each said pin between said U-shapedf uprights and the lower bul'bous member for biasing said piny in downwardly directed position.

3. A paper sack holder comprising a base,` a pair of U-s'hap'e'd uprights each secured by their legs to and ex tending upwardly from said basefat-spaced apart position and each adjacentan edge of said base, said U-shaped members being resilient so as to be capable of being spread apart a short distance a'n'd return to normal upright position, an elongated pin reciprocably mounted at the top of each said upright and arranged in a generally vertical position, the legs of said U-shaped members being spaced apart adjacent their top to provide .a substantial distance between each leg and said pin, a bulbous member mounted on each end of each said .pin to limit movement, said pin extending a substantial distance below the top of said U-slapd upright, and avsprin'g mounted on each' said pin between said U-shaped uprights and the lower bulbo-us member for biasing said pin in downward position.

4'. A device accordingto claim 1 in which all the'parts are madeof a resilient synthetic resin. t

References Cited b'y thetExaminer Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 514,481 2/94Y Mauer 24s-97 993,964 5/11 Davis 24:; 98 1,895,904 1/33 Lues V Y 24a-9s FRANKL; ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PAPER SACK HOLDER COMPRISING A BASE, A PAIR OF U-SHAPED UPRIGHTS EACH SECURED BY THEIR LEGS TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE AT SPACED APART POSITIONS AND EACH ADJACENT AN EDGE OF SAID BASE, SAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING RESILIENT SO AS TO BE CAPABLE OF BEING SPREAD APART A SHORT DISTANCE AND RETURN TO NORMAL UPRIGHT POSITION, AND ELONGATED PIN RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED THROUGH THE TOP OF EACH SAID UPRIGHT EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BETWEEN SAID LEGS AND ARRANGED IN A GENERALLY VERTICAL POSITION, A BULBOUS MEMBER MOUNTED ON EACH END OF EACH SAID PIN TO LIMIT MOVEMENT THEREOF BUT PERMIT EXTENDING A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BELOW THE TOP OF SAID U-SHAPED UPRIGHT, AND A SPRING MOUNTED ON EACH SAID PIN BETWEEN SAID U-SHAPED UPRIGHTS AND THE LOWER BULBOUS MEMBER FOR BIASING SAID PIN IN DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED POSITION. 